The bike gear ratio is one of the most important aspects of cycling performance. It determines how hard or easy it is to pedal depending on the terrain and your fitness level. The gear ratio is calculated by dividing the number of teeth on the chainring by the number of teeth on the cog. The resulting number indicates how many wheel revolutions occur per pedal stroke.
Lower gear ratios are ideal for climbing steep hills, as they reduce the effort required per pedal stroke. Higher gear ratios are useful for flat terrain or sprints, where speed is more important. Gear inches, a classic metric in cycling, help compare setups across different bikes by factoring in wheel size.
| Gear Ratio | Use Case |
|---|---|
| 1.5 - 2.0 | Climbing steep hills |
| 2.1 - 3.0 | General road cycling |
| 3.1 - 4.0 | Time-trial and racing on flats |
| 4.0+ | Track sprints / high speed |
| Cyclist | Discipline | Typical Gear Setup |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Froome | Grand Tour Climber | 36T x 28T for steep climbs |
| Peter Sagan | Classics / Sprints | 53T x 11T for sprint finishes |
| Filippo Ganna | Time Trial Specialist | 58T x 11T for flat TTs |
| Marianne Vos | All-Rounder | 50T x 12T versatile setup |
| Eddy Merckx | Legend | Classic 52T x 13T |
| Mathieu van der Poel | Cyclocross / Road | 46T x 17T for CX |